Browns Creek

The purple boundary in the map below outlines the adopted portion of Brown's Creek's watershed. When it rains, water that falls within this boundary eventually finds its way to the creek. The highlighted yellow portion of the creek is the section adopted by CDM Smith. Brown's Creek is directly impacted by all land within the purple drainage boundary.

Any stewardship activities you do within these purple watershed boundaries will improve the condition of your waterway.

Pathogens indicate that water is contaminated by human or animal waste. In urban areas, pathogens end up in creeks when sewer lines leak or when dog owners don’t pick up their pet’s waste. Pathogen problems are most often linked with heavy rainfall, which can overwhelm older sewer systems and/or wash pathogens from neglected pet waste into our waterways. Pet waste that is left in the street, dog park, or even a person's backyard contributes to major water quality problems in Nashville.

Photo by John Moran

Nutrient issues in streams result from over-fertilized urban lawns and gardens. Other sources include pet waste, municipal wastewater systems, and dishwashing detergent. When fertilizers exceed plant needs, are left out in the open, or are applied just before it rains, nutrients can wash into our waterways over land or seep into groundwater. High concentrations of nutrients, found in human and pet waste, can contaminate our waters via leaking sewer lines or neglected pet waste. Increased nutrient concentrations cause nuisance or toxic algae blooms in waterbodies, killing fish and aquatic life. High concentrations of nutrients must also be filtered from our drinking water, since they can cause methemoglobinemia, also known as blue baby syndrome.

Photo by David Monniaux

Oil and Grease includes a variety of substances including fuels, motor oil, lubricating oil, hydraulic oil, cooking oil, and animal-derived fats. The source of these substances are typically human derived. Oil and grease pollution can create chemical oxygen demand and reduce aquatic organisms’ ability to reproduce and survive. Though toxicity varies among different types of oils, refined oils are generally more toxic than crude oils. Various hydrocarbons found in fuels can pose a wide range of human health problems, from affecting the liver, kidneys and blood to increasing the risk of cancer.

Photo by Robert Lawton

In-Stream Habitat Alteration refers to lost in-stream habitat due to human modification of a waterway’s bed, banks, or flow. Modification of a stream’s bed or banks happens when streams are channelized, sent through culverts, dammed, dredged or filled. Out of stream infrastructure, such as curbs and gutters, storm-drains, and concrete ditches alter the rate of flow that enters a stream, quickly ushering water off impervious surfaces and sending it rushing into the stream channel. These modifications to streams result in an alteration of in-stream habitat. These alterations can disrupt aquatic species reproductive cycles or simply make living conditions impossible for some species.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

There are many things you can do to help your creek. We've got some ideas and resources below, but don't be limited to these alone. If you've got questions or ideas for other activities, feel free to call the Cumberland River Compact at 615-837-1151.

Schedule a walk/cleanup.There's no better way to get to know your creek, than by visiting it in person. Whether your wading, paddling, or walking alongside it, you'll end up with a much better sense of where it's healthy and where it's hurting if you pay it a visit! Consider combining a cleanup with a scouting effort. While your picking up trash, photograph or record the locations of destabilized banks, needed streamside vegetation, invasive species, dams, or other potential water quality concerns. Resources include:

Allow for natural growth near your waterway.If you live or work next to a waterway, leave a 35′ to 100′ no mow zone on its banks. Allow natural and native plant growth in this buffer area or plant native trees, bushes, and groundcover. Natives require less watering and fertilizer. This vegetation can filter pollutants before they reach our waterways and provide other water quality benefits that far exceed those of a mowed lawn. Resources include:

If you can't do a planting, consider distributing free trees and educational information to the public somewhere in your adopted segment's watershed. Resources include:

This stewardship activity will address the pathogen, nutrient, oil and grease, and in-stream habitat alteration problems in your creek.

Photo by Jed Grubbs

Reduce paved/impervious surfaces.Impervious or impermeable surfaces, like pavement, contribute significantly to polluted stormwater runoff and alter stream flow habitat. If you've got excess pavement you'd like removed, consider a de-paving project with the Compact. Elsewhere, ensure that your downspouts drain to vegetation, gravel, or rainbarrels, rather than impervious surfaces. If you constructing or repairing your driveway, pervious pavement allows stormwater to infiltrate and filter through the ground. If you can’t do the whole drive, consider making only the portion closest to the street pervious. Resources include:

This stewardship activity will address the pathogen, nutrient, oil and grease, and in-stream habitat alteration problems in your creek.

Pick up after your pet.Pick up after your pet when s/he is on a walk, at the dog park, or in your own backyard. Dispose of this waste in the trash or toilet. Many pet stores and retailers sell biodegradable bags for picking up waste. Some companies in the region offer pet waste removal services. You can also start a pet education campaign in your neighborhood and/or distribute biodegradable pet waste bags. Resources include:

This stewardship activity will address the pathogen and nutrient problems in your creek.

Limit fertilizers. Only use fertilizers when it's absolutely necessary. Follow application directions, and use only in recommended amounts according to the needs of your soil. Do not apply fertilizers before rainfall. nd/or consider passing out free soil sampling kits and educational materials somewhere popular or public in the watershed.

This stewardship activity will address the nutrient problem in your creek.

Photo by Jed Grubbs

Remove unused dams or other human made stream obstructions.If you have an antiquated or unneeded dam on your property, contact the Cumberland River Compact and/or The Nature Conservancy of Tennessee to discuss the feasibility of removing it. Walk the stream and inventory the location of any dams or obstructions, and let the Compact know so we can add these to our database or potential removal projects. Resources Include:

This stewardship activity will addresses the nutrient and in-stream habitat alteration problems in your creek.

Support public funding of water treatment plants and sewer infrastructure. Report sewer leakages and other water quality concerns. Water related infrastructure is expensive and obtaining funding for necessary sewer and water treatment improvements is often a challenge for communities. However, public dollars are critical to our water quality and public health. Support your community's efforts to properly maintain it's water related infrastructure. Resources include:

Organize with others in your community. Make your voices heard and your votes count.Participate in community planning efforts and advocate for relevant measures that improve or protect water quality. Write to your elected official or to the media and let them know this is a concern or invite them to speak about the impairment with your home-owners association. When elections come up, vote for candidates who will address the problem and hold them accountable to their promises. Support local watershed / environmental associations. Resources include:

Spread the word.Do your neighbors, family, or roommates know about the problem? Now that you know how to be an effective steward, enlist the help of others in your neighborhood. Share iCreek or resources within it with your neighbors and encourage them to join the effort to protect your creek.